Random Encounter

“How did you occur to join the Rangers guild?” In the cold half-light of the dungeon entry, the words of his mother seemed to have a very clear answer. The hall had a pretty size and should be expanding way farther than the dim torch light could reach. The tiles floor and the traces that pointed out that the place had been inhabited a long time ago were covered by the dust accumulated by years of abandon. Without a doubt, the complex of underground corridors and halls should be expanding towards the mountain’s heart. It was a long ago since haven’t felt that almost childish excitement when exploring a new place. The wilt opulence of a lost civilization always implied treasures and discoveries, apart from the simple pleasure of being the first one in putting feet again in those forgotten chambers.

Exploring the maze of corridors would take much more time than he had imagined. He started to wonder it really had been a good idea to trust in that map bought for a few coins to a ragged beggar at the inn. “¿Why wouldn’t you do the same as your cousin Grimnir? Merchant. That’s truly a trade with some future!”. Grimnir barely was able to disguise his spectacular belly with his beard. Surely, he would have stayed behind a long ago, panting and complaining for not having a proper food at hand. Nevertheless, the erratic sounds of footsteps that he heard from time to time, a clear sign that he was being followed, made him envy his cousin that surely would be comfortably sleeping in his bed at that same moment.

Is there something worse than getting lost? Indeed, hearing at your back the unmistakable sound of many feet hurrying to follow you mixed with the sound of weapons clashing. “You could have also entered the Guard, as your friend Skarri did. ¡Your dad could have get you there!”. In fact, one of those huge axes that the guards used to carry would have made him feel safer. He quickened his pace, trusting on finding soon the secondary exit that, according to the map, should be somewhere else in that same level.

When he realized that the chamber he was in had no exit and that his pursuers were just around the corner, he blocked the best he could the rickety entrance door with the shattered remains of some benches and unsheathed his sharp knife, preparing himself for the upcoming combat. The torch light made something shine at the end of the room. Dozens of chests full of coins and jewels. He couldn’t believe his own eyes, a king’s loot! The first blows that were trying to knock down the door wakened him up from his surprise… The enemy was high in numbers and soon will be all over inside the chamber. His mother’s word came back again to his mind “How did you occur to join the Rangers guild?”.